NYC Walking Tours: Perfect for those looking for a leisurely stroll, filled with entertaining anecdotes and historical tales of the Big Apple’s 400 year history. Lots of pauses for photos and a restroom break halfway. Plan to stay after for a meal or a drink.
NYC Bike Tours: Faster pace than walking, able to cover about twice the distance in same time. Bigger picture; briefer narrative. Optimized for safety, relying on bike lanes and quiet streets, but still a choice for those comfortable on a cycle.
Deciding between a walking tour and a bike tour in NYC depends on the type of experience you’re looking for. A walking tour is ideal if you want a leisurely pace that allows you to dive deep into the history, architecture, and culture of specific neighborhoods, with plenty of opportunities to pause, take photos, and ask questions. It’s perfect for those who enjoy a more intimate and detailed exploration of the city’s landmarks and hidden gems. On the other hand, a bike tour is great if you’re looking to cover more ground in a shorter amount of time. You’ll still get a rich narrative from your guide but with the added thrill of cycling through the city, experiencing a wider range of sights, and feeling the energy of New York as you ride. Whether you prefer the in-depth immersion of a walking tour or the broader scope of a bike tour, both options offer unique and memorable ways to experience NYC.
I recently offered a pay-as-you-wish walking tour and found it was a lot of fun and very well-recieved. If you’d like to be alerted to the next free tour, ask me to put you on the list by reaching out through my contact page here.
Due to the intimate nature of these tours, limited spots are available – secure your place today! Reserve now for my exclusive small group tours for a unique and dynamic exploration of New York City.
I recently offered a pay-as-you-wish walking tour and found it was a lot of fun and very well-recieved. If you’d like to be alerted to the next free tour, ask me to put you on the list by reaching out through my contact page here.
Due to the intimate nature of these tours, there are limited spots are available – secure your place today! Reserve a space now in my exclusive small group tours for a unique and dynamic exploration of New York City.
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“Scott was fantastic from start to finish, his communication prior to the tour was extremely helpful. During the tour Scott was very friendly, approachable and very knowledgeable. The time flew by!” — Shell, June 2024
One of the top experiences you can have in New York City is crossing the historic Brooklyn Bridge. Made better by expert insight into the history and many colorful characters who developed and built it. The views are only more beautiful and the golden hour take the sunset tour at 6 PM.
I’m a long-time New Yorker and history aficionado, originally from the Midwest. I became enamored with with the idea of doing tours by visiting the Tenement Museum (I recommend). I studied for the NYC City Sightseeing Guide license and trained to become a docent at Governors Island and Brooklyn Bridge Park. Since 2017 I’ve led hundreds of tours.
I aim to combine history, pop culture, local color and Gotham insights–and gossip–only a long-time New Yorker can provide. I endeavor to educate and entertain. I’ve scoped out the best photo ops and will lead you to them. I get great pleasure meeting people from all over the world and showing them my hometown. I always refer to my tours as my “guests,” not customers.
My groups are small, I am not a big tour operator. This is a one-man show and slots fill up quickly. Expect to be treated like a welcome guest, not herded cattle. One guest said, “the personal touches Scott puts in the tour are unmatched. Next time I visit NYC, I will definitely book with Scott again.” You’ll end up with suggestions of other activities and feel you got a taste of Big Apple hospitality.
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“We really enjoyed the bike tour. Scott was very nice and informative. On our own we would never have experienced the areas Scott introduced us too. The length and physical activity of the tour was perfect” — David, May 2024
From singing and dancing sailors in On the Town, to mafiosa of The Godfather to King of Monsters himself, Godzilla, Hollywood can’t resist adding the grandeur and gothic beauty that comes with the Great Bridge to many location shoots. Enjoy some of the most iconic moments filmed on the Brooklyn Bridge.
I’m happy to work with you or your groups, if you have an interest in a personalized tour. I can create a custom itinerary that might focus on a particular topic, like a specific neighborhood, or a specific industry or immigration groups, a historical time period, or topics like arts, music, architecture or green innovations and sustainability.
In the past I’ve arranged such private outings for Kiwi airlines, AIDA Cruise Line, and out-of-office fun days for McKinsey & Company consultants and the US State Department. Tour make great team building exercises for colleagues or bonding experiences for families.
Instant confirmation, refundable.
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“Great walking tour! Scott was super friendly and knowledgeable. Sent a very helpful text pre-tour. Length of tour was perfect – lovely afternoon, great photo ops, generally fantastic experience.” — Lucy, June 2024
I try to give an eclectic tour that balances historical facts with entertaining stories of the events and New York characters that helped create this unique city. I hope you finish the tour with a clear picture in your imagination of what these places once were, who walked these streets, what they hoped to accomplish. I hope you get a balanced understanding of what these places represent today, to New York City and even the American dream, and what the future holds for NYC. I hope you fill your camera with lots of great pictures, I’ll show you where they are. And I also hope you have some laughs, satiate your curiosity and get some fresh air, exercise and most of all, enjoy yourself and this fine city I call home.
The tour includes the cost of a regular bike and use of a helmet. E-bikes are available for rent. Due to liability and insurance issues, it’s necessary for guests to reserve them in their own name and secure them with their own credit card. I can facilitate those details.
First and foremost, be assured, I’ve modeled my NYC bike tours by taking every precaution to keep it as safe as possible. We are absolutely staying off the busiest and most chaotic thoroughfares. Wherever available, we’ll be riding in parks, bike lanes. At times you may share roads with local residential street traffic, but cars are few and generally drive slowly. Most of the tours are primarily bike lanes and park greenways.
Additionally, I’m happy to collaborate with you and explain the route in detail and even modify it in a way that can help you feel comfortable.
My NYC Bike tours aren’t a race. We’re not doing this to feel the burn. We’re doing the tour for fun. Most routes are about 6 miles over 2 hours and do not include big hills or other challenging terrain, and we’ll be stopping often. It’s a leisurely-paced ride, so we can all enjoy sights and many breaks included. I find the vast majority of my guests are not taxed by this ride. If you bike with any regularity, you’ll be just fine.
Guests are entitled to 100% refund for every cancelled reservation made 24 hours to departure, no questions asked. I will conduct tours in light rain and other poor weather conditions, providing safety can be assured. If you’re still game to go, I’m game to take you, but I will also make every effort to accommodate requests to move the tour to a better date.
After booking you will receive a confirmation email with all details and also my phone and other contact information you might need. I make a habit of texting confirmation the night before or morning of a tour, so please be sure the phone number provided is correct. Please feel free to call (or preferably, text as this is less disruptive to tours I may be conducting). International travelers can find me on WhatsApp.
Yes, I can. A great many movies and TV have used locations we’ll pass by in my NYC Walking Tours and NYC Bike Tours. A small sample include Gossip Girl, Sex and the City, Billions, Succession, Once Upon a Time in America, Enchanted, ELF, Home Alone 2, and countless others. I know where they are, and can also show you were some of your favorite stars live!
No, not really. New York City is 468 square miles (or 1212 square kilometers).
Now, if you’re just talking about borough of Manhattan, well, that’s still an ambitious plan for any NYC walking tours and NYC bike tours, but it’s doable. What you could try doing is walking the length of Broadway, that’s 13 miles (or 21 kilometers) and Google Maps estimates it can be walked in 5 hours. You could begin far north at the historic, 18th century Dykeman Farmhouse and Museum and Broadway downtown finishing in South Ferry with a photo op at Wall Street’s Charging Bull statue. I’m not aware any NYC walking tours that offer this option, but I am happy to guide you in a private tour designed to appeal to your specific interests. Or I can refer you to one of my colleagues at the Guides Association of New York City if I’m unavailable.
Another option to break your step record is to join The Great Saunter. Every May, approximately 2,500 walking enthusiasts embark on a 32-mile (52-kilometer) walking tour of the perimeter of Manhattan. More information, and registration for the event can be found here.
Google Maps estimates the length of Broadway, 13-miles (or 21-kilometers), can be walked in 5 hours. Of course, you want to do more than walk, you’d want to see the sights, maybe pop in for some of the attractions, stop for meals or an ice cream. The good news if you don’t make it the length, and surrender and admit defeat, you can always hop on the subway. It runs the length of the Broadway and will take your back to your lodgings in air conditioned comfort.
Some of the most popular NYC walking tours and NYC bike tours concentrate on Central Park and Greenwich Village. Walkable areas of Brooklyn include Williamsburg, Park Slop and of course, DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights, which are my area of expertise; check out my popular Brooklyn Bridge walking tour. The path of the Highline Park will take you through the beautiful and walkable neighborhoods of Hudson Yards, Chelsea, Greenwich Village and the Meatpacking Historic District. I’ve included it in a collection of DYI one-day itineraries that are focused on minimal transit and maximized fun and sights.
I will say as a 30-year resident of NYC, my experience with crime is almost non-existent. The New York City I see described in the media is unrecognizable to me. There’s a lot of clicks and ratings to be made in sensationalized news reporting. Keep in mind, NYC has a population of over 8 million people, our per-capita crime rate is among the lowest in the USA. A study published in Forbes magazine ranked NYC number 12 in the 15 Safest Large Cities in the U.S. (with a population over 300,000).
Most of the places tourists go to will be very safe and you’ll notice a big police presence. My own NYC walking tours and NYC bike tours visit areas low in crime and are conducted in daylight hours. The safety of my guests is alway a top priority for me.
I offer NYC walking tours and NYC bike tours of Central Park that last 2 hours and cover about 3-miles (5-kilometers) of territory by foot, or 7-miles (12-kilometers) by bike.
Two spots that are not to be missed are the Bethesda Fountain and Terrace and the Ramble. They are fortunately right next to each other. The Fountain and Terrace will be familiar to you from countless TV and movie shots, everything from The Avengers to When Harry Met Sally. Park designer Frederick Law Olmstead called the Ramble his “Wild Garden,” as he wanted it to look very natural. It’s a forested area with ponds and–be warned–it’s easy to get lost. That’s by design! Olmstead wanted people to be disoriented and feel like the bustle of the city was a million miles away. Don’t fret, enjoy the views, the sights and sounds of all the birds, and eventually you’ll find your way out. While there, check out the Bow Bridge, seen in the movie Spider-Man 3. There are 36 bridges and arches in the park, two other notable ones include the Gapstow Bridge, famous site of the Pigeon Lady in Home Alone 2 (named) and the Pine Bridge from the snowball fight in ELF.Advanced exploration: Make your way up to the North Wood section if you really want to get away from the city. It’s far less populated than the lower parts of the park and very rustic.
The loop of Central Park, the main drive is about 7-miles (12-kilometers). NYC walking tours could cover it in about 3-hours and NYC bike tours could do it in a about an hour, not including time for breaks. It’s generally pretty flat, at least compared to San Francisco or Seattle. It might feel a little hilly for midwesterners. The biggest hill can be found in the upper northwest corner near the Harlem Meer section. Not gonna lie, even as an experienced cyclists, I dread it. And I particularly feel for New York City Marathon runners who encounter it in the last mile. Ouch! That’s a cruel twist.
Popular opinion is Central Park, and I can’t disagree. However, my personal happy place is Brooklyn Bridge Park, which is why it’s featured prominently in my NYC walking tours and NYC bike tours. One advantage Brooklyn always has over Manhattan is we have a break taking view of the Manhattan skyline, something that can’t be seen from Manhattan.
The 5 Boro bike tour is an annual event held the first Sunday of May (National Biking Month!) that typically attracts more than 30,000 riders from all over the world. While the 40-mile (65-kilometer) route may sound intimidating, remember mantra is “Enjoy the Ride!” It’s tour, not a race. E-Bikes are allowed and rest breaks are encouraged. If you don’t have a bike, there’s no shame in renting one, from a shop such as Unlimited Biking. Just reserve early, the stock gets low.
You know your limits. The 40-mile (65-kilometer) route can be challenging for some, but it’s not prohibitive for a weekend athlete. And there’s no rush, to the contrary, take your time to enjoy all the magnificent sights of NYC, as it was built to be see: from the street, and in a car-free environment. You could book one of my one-day bike tours to warm up. We typically cover 25-mile (40-kilmeters) in a day. Or I can map out a custom route for you.
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“Super knowledgeable, lots of fun! Scott was awesome! We had a great time, learned so much, and got to see everything we were hoping. Scott was incredibly knowledgeable and has an ease and intuitiveness about him that made for a really lovely time. Highly recommend!” — Alana, April 2024
